


A Stop Gap

by taintedidealist



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, flashfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2013-11-11
Packaged: 2018-01-01 04:04:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1040128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taintedidealist/pseuds/taintedidealist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Story Information:This is designed to be a one-shot flashfic from immense boredom with my day. I tend to like flashfics to be missing scene or ‘and then’ nature. The prompt I was working from tonight was, “Right after the kiss with Hook - Regina finds Emma sitting alone.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Stop Gap

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Xan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xan/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I own nothing and borrow lots. No, really… lots. Like the characters of Regina Mills, Emma Swan and possibly every other character past or present on Once Upon a Time which are the sole intellectual property of Horowitz and Kitsis and ABC. This is purely for entertainment purposes and sadly, no profit is being gained.

Neverland was abundant with leaves and branches. Leaves and branches that whipped into the face during the numerous treks across the island. They hid the pools of water dripping down your neck. They hid bugs humorously attracted to Snow White above all others. She had opined that perhaps it was because Snow was so sweet, but now Regina found as she tromped along another path back to camp they also hid Emma.

She sat on a log, her blade drawn and whittling down what could become a walking stick. Her muscles were tense in her shoulders along her arms as she drew the blade back along the knobby branch, “Are you going to sit?” Emma asked as her eyes slowly moved up to Regina, “Or are you going to stand there until you think of something to say about my shoddy craftsmanship?”

Regina’s eyebrows raised in thought.

"Snark about using magic working?"

A smile slowly inched across Regina’s face as Emma kept supplying the arsenal she thought would be lobbed toward her.

Pointing her sword at Regina a tight smile greeted her from Emma, “See it was the ‘I was right’ angle, isn’t it?”

"No," Regina cleared her throat, "I actually find that I don’t need to talk when I’m around only you lately. It’s-" she paused searching for the right word, "refreshing."

A slow murmur of disbelief flowed through Emma, “That’s not how I recall the past couple of days.”

Regina’s arms flew to the air, “Well, because those morons are trusting Hook to lead them blindly and dismiss every other idea.”

Nodding her head to the empty spot on the log Emma watched as Regina sat beside her, brushing at the leaves that had somehow stuck to her pants.

"Your ideas."

"Excuse me?"

"They’re dismissing your ideas," Emma focused back on the walking stick. "Regina Mills has hurt feelings."

It was said in a teasing tone, with a sing-song nature and Regina bristled at it, “They did not hurt my feelings.”

"Oh, please," Emma turned to the woman beside her with perfect posture in the middle of a humid, drippy, and now darkening jungle.

"I would have to care about what they think about me to have hurt feelings," Regina countered as she fidgeted with the sleeves of her blazer.

Emma dipped her head down, “I sometimes wish I cared as much as you do.”

Regina’s brow furrowed in confusion, “What do you even mean Emma?”

She watched as Emma leaned forward her elbows resting on her knees and spun the blade in the dirt making lazy circles.

"It’s hard, for me, to feel when it seems like all you ever do is feel." The response was quiet, unsure and reminded her of Henry. It caused her heart to clench, but it was followed by something said even quieter, "I kissed Hook."

"You kissed him?” Regina let out a sound of surprise, “I didn’t think you’d take my comment to heart.”

Emma turned her face back to Regina, tears shimmering in her eyes, “I just wanted to feel something that wasn’t fear over Henry or anger at Pan. I wanted to feel something good.”

Her hand reached out brushing a falling tear off of Emma’s face, pushing the hair behind her ear, “Did it work?”

She could see the answer in Emma’s chin as it wobbled slightly before she shook her head, “I didn’t feel anything. I thought he could be this stop gap. I feel like I’m just all these boiling feelings of grief and I thought-“

"He’d help you forget Neal, if even for a moment?" Regina supplied nodding in understanding, "I tried that too, Storybrooke the curse it was all supposed to be my stop gap too Emma."

Regina pulled her hand away from Emma’s face, unsure of why she had kept the hand on her cheek. “I thought it would stop me from feeling, everything all at once, and it did for a time.”

"Nothing stays." Emma said sniffling as she ran the back of her hand along her face to clean up the tear tracts.

"You did Emma." Regina smiled back at her, "I tried to get you to leave again and again and you stayed. You love Henry."

Emma nodded, “And you do too. Is that enough though?”

Her tongue darted out and wet her lips as Regina tried to find her answer, “It had been enough and then you came along.”

She could see the confusion pass over Emma’s face, “I don’t think I get-“

"You see Regina, Emma. You don’t see the Evil Queen. You see me and I needed to remember people could see me." She looked off into the distance for a moment letting her confession float through the space between them.

She felt Emma’s hand tentatively reach for her own and a tear welled up. Regina couldn’t remember the last time someone saw her, accepted her, and offered comfort, “Emma.”

"Let’s just sit here for a moment longer." Emma whispered.


End file.
